This Viral Photo of Butterflies Sipping On the Tears of Turtles is Breathtaking

A fiery orange butterfly whose wings are outlined in jet black gently rests on the head of a turtle, slowly sipping its tears. The turtle stretches its aged neck forward, almost as though saying, "Here, take my tears, let them be worth something." It may seem like a vignette from a children's story, but it is in fact a scientific term called lachryphagy (tear drinking), a method by which butterflies receive essential moisture and nutrients.

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This incredible event that is so ordinary in nature but so remarkable to the human eye was captured in Ecuador by Ama la Vida TV and won the Wikimedia Picture of the Year Award in 2014. It has gained particular popularity on the internet this week, no doubt because it's always timely to remember that sometimes life really is like a midsummer night's dream.